Snake Beans Fried Egg

The Only Snake I like...

I'm a very happy person right now, because I got myself a new toy...It's the Lumix LX5 camera. I've been hearing and reading good reviews about this camera...but it's not until I actually use it that I understand what are all the fusses about. My husband asked me why do I need a compact camera when I already have a SLR? OK, my defense was I needed a decent camera that I can carry whenever and wherever I want, without the bulkiness and the heaviness of SLR and LX5 is the answer! It is definitely an affordable and outstanding compact camera.

Anyway, today I want to share with you guys another super easy recipe that I recently got from my friend. When I saw my friend had this for her lunch, it straight away caught my curiosity to find out how to prepare this dish, it looked so yummy and easy to make.

Trust me! you only need 20 minutes to prepare this delicious dish. It's perfect for kids too as the small sizes make it easy for them to eat, even my sister in law was surprised when my niece finished the very last bean in her lunch box at school. The recipe is Snake Beans Fried Egg. ( I used snake beans because they are softer, however you can use any type of your preferred  green beans)

Snake Beans Fried Egg

Ingredients (please adjust your measurement accordingly):

- 3 bunch of snake beans

- 6 eggs (beaten)

- 3 cloves of garlic (minced/chopped)

- Cooking oil

- Salt

- White pepper

Method:

1) Chopped the snake beans to small sizes (approximately 1 cm)

2) Heat up the wok and add cooking oil.

3) Add in the garlic and stir until fragrant

4) Add in the chopped beans, stir occasionally. You can add a little bit of water and leave them simmer until the beans are soft (approximately 3-4 tbsp).

5) Add in the beaten eggs, leave it for one minute before stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

6) Stir evenly and turn off the heat once the egg is dry and cooked.

7) And there you go, the simplest and delicious recipe to cook after a long day at work.

Before I go... Happy Chinese New Year everybody! 

To keep the tradition going, make sure you wear new clothes, eat Chinese food and have lots of Chinese cookies as part of your celebration

Here wishing you guys prosperity and good luck in this year of Rabbit

Ginger and Shallots King Oyster Mushroom

My brother and his family have moved back to Sydney last week and they are staying at my place temporarily, so my house are pretty happening at the moment, especially with the presence of my niece and nephew. My free time has been pretty much occupied with watching cartoon, story telling, playing toys and of course keeping them out of trouble.

But today, when I came home I found the house empty...Yes!!!...that means few hours of freedom for me! (but don't get me wrong I love having them around but I wouldn't mind a few hours of 'alone time' at home) =p

So today after finished cooking, I watched a bit of TV, then I opened up my laptop, while going through my folders I realised I still have quite a few recipes and restaurants that I could share on my blog. So I picked this super easy recipe to share with you guys today.

I love all kind of mushrooms.... whether is Asian mushroom or Western mushroom, I love all of them! The first time I had the similar King Oyster mushroom was at a Korean stall in a food court. Since then, I've always wanted to cook the same one at home. So, here's my homemade version of Ginger and Shallots King Oyster Mushroom.

Ginger and Shallots King Oyster Mushroom

Ingredients:

-  3 king oyster mushrooms (sliced thinly like I have on the picture)

-  3 cloves garlic (chopped)

-  2 inch fresh ginger (sliced)

-  2 stalks shallot/spring onions (cut into 2 inch length)

-  1 carrot (sliced thinly)

-  Cooking oil

Seasoning:

- 1/2 tbsp Oyster sauce

- 1/2 - 1 tsp sugar

- 1/2 tbsp Soya sauce

- 1/2 tsp corn starch 

- 3-4 tbsp water

(You can adjust seasoning according to taste)

Method:

1) Heat up the wok with cooking oil. When the oil is hot, add in the garlic, give it a quick stir then add in ginger slices.

2) Stir-fry the ginger until aromatic and add in shallot, then add in carrots. 

3) When carrot soften, add in the mushrooms and stir.  

4) Add in seasoning and continue stirring until mushroom is cooked.

5) Dish out and serve hot with steamed rice.

Chikyu-Ya, Bondi Junction

So what do you do when you are at home by yourself? My husband tends to finish work quite late, so I usually reach home before him. I normally start my evening by preparing dinner and once I finished, I will find something to entertain myself, let it be watching TV, reading, photo editing, browsing or blogging! So today, while waiting for him to come home, I chose to do some blogging. 

Today, I'd like to share one of my favourite neighbourhood restaurants in Sydney.  I'm quite confident to say that this place has one of the best Chicken Karaage in Sydney, definitely the best for me and my husband!

The Karaage is a cross between Japanese fried chicken and Kentucky! Yes, you read me right...It's the Japanese version of Kentucky. It never fails to amuse me how tasty their karaage is. So what is the magic behind this tastiest chicken?  I wish I have the answer. But, just like Kentucky they definitely have their own secret herbs and spices that they use to marinate the chicken. 

I'm not sure about their other dishes, but if you are a big fan of chicken Karaage, then this is a MUST VISIT place for you.

Seaweed Salad  $8.00

Gyoza (5 pcs)  $7.00

Fresh Sashimi  (9 pcs) $10.00

Chef's special dinner box (serve with rice and miso soup)  $20.00

*Drum roll* And here comes my favourite chicken karaage with curry sauce.

 Chicken Karaage with Curry Sauce $14.00

Overall, I think Chikyu-Ya is a must visit place for their Chicken Karaage. 

Exceptional flavour with reasonable price.

Hong Kong Style Soya Chicken

Before I post the recipe of this HongKong Style Soya chicken, I just want to share with you guys two things that I cherish this December. First thing is of course celebrating my favourite festive season; Christmas and New year. But what will the second thing be??? The second thing will be the launch of my sister's food blog. Have I ever mentioned that I have a super talented sister? whom I consider to be an absolutely brilliant cook? If I haven't, now you know....When my sister posted her link in Facebook, one of her friends actually commented that for my sister to have a food blog is like Picasso having a blog about painting. I have to say, it's the perfect way to describe my sister's passion in cooking. Her blog, 'DinewithLeny' is going to be filled with many great home-cooked recipes. So, do check it out if you need to look for new food ideas or simply just for a read! 

With Christmas just around the corner, I'm sure I'm not the only person busy wrapping the Christmas gifts and looking forward to celebrate with family and friends. Sadly, me and my husband don't have any family here to celebrate Christmas with, but I look forward to share some great times with my friends on our Boxing day trip to Hunter Valley. Christmas is such a beautiful season, it's a season of giving. Every where I go, I see people breathing with joy and happiness, people hopping from shop to shop looking for the perfect gifts for their loved ones and people busy planning for their Christmas meal.

Anyway, I think I should stop talking about Christmas and back to the recipe. Today, I prepared this Hong Kong Style Soya Chicken for dinner. When I go to Hong Kong restaurant, my husband's utmost choice will be the steamed chicken where as mine will be the soya chicken. Since, I've always cooked his favourite at home, tonight will be my turn to relish my favourite. So, if you like Soya Chicken too, this recipe is worth trying because it's simple, quick and most of all, delicious!

Hong Kong Style Soya Chicken

Ingredients:

- 4 chicken Marylands (I didn't buy Maryland, so I used 8 drumsticks)

- 2 1/2 cups water

- 1 1/2 cup of Lee Kum Kee premium soya sauce

- 3 star anise

- 1 cup brown sugar (or more according to your preference)

- 1 stick cinnamon

- 5 cm of ginger (smashed)

- 6 cloves of garlic (smashed)

- 1 tsp five spice powder

Method:

1) Clean the chicken and set aside.

2) In a deep pan/pot add in everything except the chicken.

3) Bring the sauce to boil, then add in the chicken, leave the chicken to simmer in sauce for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

4) Once chicken is cooked, remove  from pan/pot to cool.

5) Chop chicken into smaller pieces if you prefer.

6) Enjoy the chicken with steamed rice.

Tips: Pour some of the sauce on steamed rice will sure give you an extra kick to the meal!

If you don't hear from me before Christmas, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas 2010 

&

Hope you guys have a Healthy and Happy New Year 2011

Montparnasse, Randwick

Discovering A French Treasure In Randwick

I visited Montparnasse for a farewell dinner early September this year. So it's pretty obvious that this post has been long delayed. This hidden gem in Randwick was highly recommended by a friend of mine. He described the place as having a mixture of modern and classic French design, a place where Marilyn Monroe will be happy to dine in. So based on such wonderful descriptions, I immediately made a booking for 'a table for six' that week.

'Wonderful' seems like an underrated survey of this place, it's beyond wonderful for me personally. I love the place, I love the service, the food and among other things, I love the price too. I was the first one to arrive at this intimate restaurant, while my husband and friends were looking for a place to park. Sitting on an empty table with only silence accompanying me, a very thoughtful and friendly staff actually offered me a glass of complimentary champagne to start with.

Once everyone arrived, we quickly flipped through the extensive French menu. We finally settled with 3 entrees to be shared among us and a main dish for each person. We were served with complementary breads as well, but I do have to apologise because I actually forgot what exactly was it, but as far as my memory serves, it was a delicious savoury bread with toppings.

Entree 1: Brochettes Saint Jacques et Crevettes  $18.00

Despite the impossible name of the dishes, we managed to make up our mind quickly with the help of a knowledgeable staff. The first entree we had was a cripsy shrimp served with avocado , orange and balsamic vinegar. This got to be the best entrees of the night, the sauce was a killer, it was sweet and tasty. What a luscious sauce to bring out the best in the shrimp.

Entree 2: Moules Gratinees a l'anis (6 pieces) $10.50

The second entree was a plate of six mussels stuffed with a farce made of pastis (an anise flavoured liqueur), garlic, parsley, cream. The mussels were crumbed and oven baked. I found the mussel oddly bitter, I guess it must have come from the liqueur. The taste of the garlic was very strong, which for me felt a little bit too 'biting' on the tounge.

Entree 3: Feuillete de Saumon  $14.50

I like this entree, simply because it's served with a pastry puff. Sandwich between the French puff are salmon, melted leeks, lemon and dill sauce. It was a pleasant 'crispy on the outside and meltingly soft in the inside' moment for me.

Main 1: Cote de Boeuf  $29.00

My husband and another friend had the Rib Eye Steak. With any selection from the grill, we are allowed to choose a sauce and two side dishes to complement the steak. My husband chose the green peppercorn sauce, french fries and their Gratin Douphinois (which is a thinly sliced oven baked potatoes with cream and garlic) to go with his steak. The steak came in huge serving and beautifully cooked, however in comparison to the premium beef fillet which my other friend ordered, we found  this one was not as tender.

Main2: Fillet de Boeuf  $30.00

The premium beef fillet was smaller in size compared to the rib eye, but without doubt it was a better quality meat...it's juicy and tender in every bite.

Main 3: Magret de Canard au Calva et Pommes Caramelisees   $29.00

I love duck! especially French duck...I constantly crave for one, so whenever I see a 'duck dish' on a menu, I will most likely order it, so it's no difference this time.

This main of mine was a duck fillet, which is normally served medium to rare in France. I have no problem of having rare meat as long as it's a recommended way of serving. Of course, for those who prefer their meat cooked, I'm sure the kitchen will be more than happy to serve as you wish.  Because it was mostly rare, the meat tasted slightly chewy. However, you can taste the distinguish flavour of the meat very well. The dish was served with an appetising red wine sauce, vegetable mousse and some delicious caramalised apples.

Finally, Like I always say...A meal is never complete without desserts. 

We ordered a French Classic Creme Brulee, a Fondant au Chocolat Glace and a Tarte Tartin to share.

The creme Brulee ($14.50) was pretty good, it has the right texture and it's reasonably sweet.

The Fondant au Chocolat Glace ($14.50) came up to be a chocolate mousse type cake. It's your typical rich and creamy chocolate mousse cake.

Finally, the Tarte Tartin ($15.00). It was different to the normal French apple tart that I know. Over here, they placed the whole poached apple on top of a small piece of pastry, served with ice cream and a thin butter biscuit on the side. Despite the different approach, it was an enjoyable light dessert to close the meal. 

 

Overall, I think Montparnasse is a great neighbourhood restaurant where you can find tasty French dishes without being pretentious. The service is a delight too. Overall, I was really satisfied with my experience there, although it would have been better if their dessert's serving is as generous as their mains. 

Bon Appetit!

Montparnasse

The Spot in Randwick
30 St Pauls St  

Randwick NSW 2031

Ph: (02) 8084 6290

Four Ate Five, Surry Hills

An Artsy Fartsy Saturday Brunch

Before heading to NSW Art Gallery for the First Emperor exhibition, me and my husband decided to head down to the Artsy Fartsy Surry Hills for a nice brunch. Without having any place in mind, we somehow ended up parking in front of Four Ate Five on a really busy crown street. The long queue convinced us perhaps this is a place to try. So we put our name down and we waited patiently for about half an hour before scoring a table.

We were seated comfortably inside the cafe and like most cafes along Surry Hills, this place has some nice pieces of paintings and drawings that fit right to the ambience and trendy patrons.

Although they have a pretty wide selections of breakfast and lunch menu to choose from, but me and my husband stick to our typical breakfast choice. I ordered the smoked salmon and mushrooms in addition to my favourite scrambled eggs served with organic sourdough. Where as my husband had the poached egg also served with organic sourdough. He also had an additional sausage, bacon and mushrooms to complete his big meal.

Omelette served with organic sourdough $8.50

Additional: Smoked salmon $4.00 and Mushrooms $3.00

Omelette served with organic sourdough $8.50

Additional: Bacon $3.50, Sausage $3.50, Mushrooms $3.00

We thought the mushroom was brilliantly cooked! It was juicy and it has a sweet after taste that made it so different and the sourdough was perfectly crusty and they were well complemented with the melting butter.

Overall, I think Four Ate Five is worth giving a try and definitely worth coming back. It will be even better if we do not need to queue.

Four Ate Five

485 Crown Street

Surry Hills - Sydney

Ph: 02 9698 6485

Chilli Tomato Pasta Recipe

I finally made it back to Mydatewithfood!

Hi all, it feels like it's been ages since I last updated Mydatewithfood.  When you are away for too long, people will start asking you questions like: "How come you never update your blog anymore?", "What happened to your blog?" or "When are you going to update your blog again?". Ok, let me take this opportunity to answer your questions...First, it's because I was away overseas for three and a half weeks, then after I came back I was busy running errands for my parents.

And lucky for me, things are slowing down and I thought to myself...since I'll be 'home alone' today, why not update mydatewithfood (because my husband is out for his company Christmas party). So, I've decided...today is the day to start updating my blog again =)

So...why did I post this pasta recipe on my come back? It's because me and my friends are planning for a Chirstmas trip out of Sydney next month and I will be in charge of preparing pasta for our dinner, while my blog buddy (Sydney Indulgence) will be in charge of desserts.

I originally made this pasta specially for my husband...because he loves his Asian food. So, I always try to add an asian touch whenever I cook western food. So is this recipe an Italian recipe with Asian influence or it's an Asian recipe with Italian influence? I'm not sure myself...I guess it works either way. To make sure that my friends could accept this Half Italian Half Asian pasta, I decided to post it up on my blog so they can use their imaginary taste bud and see if their stomach could digest this humble creation of mine.

Chilli Tomato Pasta Recipe

There are actually 3 parts that u need to prepare in the recipe, it might looks like a long process, but trust me... it's really easy:

1) The chilli tomato paste

2) Preparing the sauce for pasta

3) Fried egg - sunny side up

Measurement below is approximately for 4 servings.

Chilli Tomato Paste Ingredients:

- 12 big red chillies

- 2 fresh tomatoes (sliced)

- 6 Shallots

- 4 Garlic cloves (half for chilli paste and half for cooking)

Pasta Sauce/cooking Ingredients:

- 2 fresh tomatoes (diced)

- 1 onion (diced/sliced)

- Fresh chives (chopped) - set aside some for garnishing   

  (when I cooked the pasta this time, I forgot to buy fresh chives so I substituted with dried chives)

- Button Mushroom (diced/sliced)

- Thickened cream ( I use less fat)

- For the meat and seafood I used minced chicken and Fish fillet

  (feel free to add any type of meat/seafood of your preference)

- Salt, black pepper, sugar

- Olive oil for cooking

- Chilli sauce Sambal abc (optional) - can be found in Asian grocery

- Your choice of pasta (cooked until al dente)

Fried Egg Ingredients:

- Fresh Eggs

- Oil for frying

METHOD: 

1) Making the chilli tomato paste

- Blend the ingredients in blender then set aside

2) Cooking the sauce/ingredients:

- Heat up the wok/pan with olive oil

- Add in the chilli paste, stir until chilli is dry and fragrant

- Set a side

- Heat up the same wok/pan with olive oil (is okay if the wok/pan still has some chilli paste)

- Add in garlic, stir until fragrant

- Add in the onions, give it a quick stir

- Add in the minced chicken, stir until chicken is almost cooked, then add in fish fillet, give it a quick stir, add in fresh tomatoes, lightly stir until minced chick and fish are cooked

- Add in the chilli tomato paste, give it a stir

- Add in mushrooms and stir

- Add in some fresh chopped chives

- Add in sugar, salt and black pepper until u get your desired taste (you can add sambal abc now if u like)

- Once u r happy, add in the cream according to your taste, mix well.

- Served hot on top of  your choice of pasta

- You can cook your pasta (until al dente) while you are cooking the sauce/ingredients or you can cook it after you finished cooking the sauce/ingredients.

3) Fried Egg

- Prepare a sunny side up egg, MAKE SURE the yolk is still raw, then add it on top of the pasta, add some chopped chives.

- Mix them before eating it!

- Yummo!!!!